


Lo amo

by Kinns



Series: Pogmann'ce ENG [2]
Category: Football RPF
Genre: Euro 2016, Feelings Realization, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Patrice being a good friend, oblivious Paul
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-07-02 23:26:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15806697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kinns/pseuds/Kinns
Summary: -Pat, wake up! Lo amo, lo amo !-What you talkin bout?-Amo Antoine, Patrice! Sono innamorato di Antoine!-You’re with him for two years, thanks God you love him, dumbass. Now get out, I’m sleeping.Or: when Paul finally realizes his feelings after the whole team does.





	Lo amo

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I'm not a native speaker, so please be gentle :) it may be full of mistakes, so please can you tell them to me? So I can improve my writing skills! :)
> 
> I don't speak italian, so I used « » when they speak italian.
> 
> Enjoy!

"Paul, it’s almost one in the morning, I want to go to sleep…"

"Just one more game and it’s over. At worst, you sleep here, nobody would care."

 

They are back in Clairefontaine to prepare the Europe league 2016 and this time, it is at home. They are all so confident in their skills that they don’t worry about what might happen. They are going to win and be proclaimed as champion of Europe, then of the world!

 

While waiting for this hour of glory to happen in two months, Paul and Antoine are playing at Xbox in his room and the little blond is complaining for ten minutes to go to sleep. Paul is not known for his great ability to listen, let alone for things he doesn’t want to hear, so he turns deaf ear and forces him to play. Paul knows that he’s more privileged than his teammates, that he’s the only one to whom Antoine couldn’t stand to say no and yields absolutely everything ; and God he profits it.

 

"Paul…", Grizou whines again.

"Come on, the last one, I promise. Alright, I can play by myself and then we’re going to bed."

"You're going to be the death of me, asshole."

 

Paul laughs but doesn’t answer. Antoine is set like a clock, so every morning, no matter the hour he went to bed the day before, he wakes up around seven. Furthermore, he needs at least eight hours of sleep to be totally rested, when six is enough for Paul. Life is quite funny, isn’t it?

 

Antoine gets up from the chair on which he has been on for the past hour and slips on his teammate’s bed, far too used to be in his room to still feel embarrassed by it. He grabs a pillow and lies it, to be the closest to him. Paul slumps into his chair, barely focused on his basketball game.

 

"Hugo will make fun of me again…”, Antoine complains.

"You’ll sleep this weekend, chill. Besides Grizou, my mom will do a meal, she wanted to know if you wanna come."

"No."

 

Paul turns to his friend, shocked and burned by his refusal, but the crystal clear laughter makes him understand that Antoine was kidding with him. By crossing his blue, amused and wet, because of the weariness, eyes makes him almost feel remorse. Almost.

 

"You’re so dumb, of course I’m coming, Paul."

"My brothers might come too, I guess, I don’t know."

"Are you sure I can come, then?"

 

Paul shrugs, turning to face his game, which he hasn’t have stopped.

 

"That’s mom who invites you, as if they can protest."

"Alright, it’s cool..."

 

Even when Antoine doesn't play with him, Paul likes to have him in the same room so he can chat with him. They don't talk a lot, but that's quite enough for him to feel at ease. When he scores the final goal, surpassing the simulation by eight points, Paul isn't surprised to find Antoine peacefully asleep. A very familiar view.

 

As promised, Paul turns off the device to fold in the right direction in his bed. Antoine is too often with him at night for that to really bother him.

 

It's already Thursday and his mom has pissed him off for _five days_ for knowing whether Antoine comes or not to her meal. She doesn't even have a decent reason; she certainly bought too much food at the market and then, she relays on his sons to finish the leftovers. Every time she sees special, she get caught.

 

Still, Paul has been so hesitant to invite Antoine, especially since the initiative didn't come from him for once. When he is the instigator of pranks, he has no problems to drag his partner; like they say, better be two in trouble than just one. Or something like that… But when someone else, _especially his mom_ , insists for him to drag Antoine, there is eel rock.

 

Damn, if Antoine had refused for real, Paul would have stayed at Clairefontaine for the weekend without a question. Paul demands everything from Antoine without bothering to ask but Antoine knows that's the same for him as well.

 

A laugh stifled by the sheets and sleep makes him raise his head to see a sleeping and happy Antoine. When he stammers, speaks and expresses himself in some way while he sleeps, it is because he has a good dream. With this thought in mind and the joy of knowing that Grizou will be at home, where he grew up on Saturday, Paul is struck for the first time by a wave of affection directed towards the young man at the end of his bed.

 

Paul doesn't have to think twice to understand how he feels, as he straightened up in bed with surprise and shock. He is in love with Antoine Griezmann and he doesn't know what to do with it.

 

Normally, he would have been to see Antoine to tell him what he had in his head or on his heart. But _he_  is precisely the one who occupies and blurs his thoughts, impossible to go see him.

 

With haste, but trying not to disturb his _Petit Prince_ , he goes seeking the advices from the only other person supposed and open among his brothers of the pitch: Patrice Evra. And probably because he never locks his door.

 

Without the least scruple, Paul opens the door and jumps on the bed of a deeply asleep Patrice.

 

"Pat! Pat, wake up!"

 

Paul shakes him frankly, not even trying the path of delicacy; what for, he is in crisis!

 

"Patrice!"

"What...?"

 

Patrice finally opens his eyes and stars without understanding, him who was so good in the realms of dreams. Yesterday was exhausting, tomorrow will be worse if he doesn’t sleep. Why does someone wake him up, him who didn’t ask for anything?

 

"Pat, wake up! Lo amo, _lo amo !_ "

 

The almost perfect Italian makes its way to his brain still asleep and when he understands the sentence, he recognizes the only person to speak Italian in their team. Patrice leans on his elbow to face him.

 

"What are  you talking about?"

"Amo Grizou, Pat! Sono innamorato di Grizou !"

 

Patrice frowns: does Paul really wake him up so early for something that stupid? It’s far too late, or early, for them to have this discussion. With a sign, he drops against the mattress.

 

"You’ve been with him for two years, thanks God you love him, dumbass. Now get out, I’m sleeping."

 

Patrice folds the quilt on him, turning his back to Paul, but it’s bad known his young teammate, who pulls him back to him.

 

"No you're not, you fat ass liar. And what do you mean by that?"

 

Patrice whines, giving him a death stare, but it’s impossible for him to see it since they are in the dark. Dammit, so annoying, he doesn't want to talk about it in the middle of the night!

 

"I'm not dating Grizou."

 

Patrice gives him un unconvinced look: they’ve been flirting since Antoine put a foot in the training center two years ago. Everyone knows or suspects it, but no one has said anything because they are a team and so they must be able to trust each other and accept each other, and all the crap.

 

"Shut up, you've been together for two years."

"Not at all, I’m not kidding, dude."

 

Patrice switches on his bedside lamp to meet Paul’s serious and almost desperate look. Crap, is it serious?

 

« Wait, it’s not possible. You're absolutely not together? » He asks in perfect Italian.

 

It’s Paul’s turn to look at him badly.

 

« No, I'd have noticed otherwise, duh. », He answers in the same language.

"Dude."

 

Patrice puts a hand on his forehead, then in his hair, having trouble accepting the news.

 

« Hold on, do you know that the whole team was sure both of you were dating? »

 

They were so sure, like with Hugo, Olivier, Raph and Adil, they had bet almost every day on their progress. Until now, only Hugo has maintained they weren't together and no one has believed him.

 

« Even the coach thought that, he went so far as to make individual remarks about accepting everyone and not judging each other, because of both of you. »

« Ah… that was why, I always wondered where that came from… But no, I’m not with Grizou, _how_ could you think that? »

 

Patrice laughs with astonishment, because Paul cannot be serious, right?

 

« What do you mean, _how_? Did you see how you act with your lil' Grizou? »

« Then what? »

« Alright, quick question: where is he right now? »

« In my bedroom, » Paul answers without understanding.

 

And Paul still comes to wonder that everyone thought they were together?

 

« Bro, Antoine and you are the only ones to share your rooms like that. You’re the first to defend Antoine, like you're angrier when the presses attack him, than when they attack _you_. You two exchange club's souvenirs and even your _jerseys_. You Snapchat all the time and wander around without inviting anyone else. You even told me your mother wanted to invite him for a meal and you were afraid to do so. »

« It's done by the way, he said yes. »

 

Patrice narrows his eyes, surprised by his friend's obliviousness; how does he hide his face? He gives him a nod to make him understand the situation and Paul opens his mouth wide when the reality hit him.

 

« Damn, even _my mom_ thinks we're dating! »

 _« Yes_ , smartass. For an midfielder, you’re fucking slow. »

 

Paul observes him, discomfits.

 

"Damn, it's like we have been dating for two years."

"Yeah. And you love him..."

" _Y lo amo !"_

 

Paul could have simply accept it and go back to his own room, but Patrice doesn't have chance and Paul has the need to always overreact.

 

"Lo amo ! Lo ! Amo !"

« I noticed. Everyone did! »

 

This is the too-much sentence because Paul observes him with a look surprised and panicked.

 

« What am I supposed to do in this kind of situation? Ignore him, play it cool, get away? »

 

Patrice sighs, letting himself fall on his back, arms crossed behind his head.

 

« How am I supposed to know? Never happened to me. »

« ’Cause you’re Patrice and you know everything. »

 

Who is the idiot who startes this stupid rumor? Must be Olivier's stupid joke. With a unfeigned sigh, Patrice opens his mouth:

 

« Dude, if you start ignoring him or going away, everyone will understand that you understood that we understood and that's a terrible idea. »

 

Despite his suspicious and puzzled look, Paul agrees. _Well, you don’t have to be that dumb_ , Patrice wants to shot, but he'll keep it to himself.

 

« Stay the same, then you throw one or two pick-up lines, I don't know. Keep sticking to him like the usual, then if you slide a finger in his ass and he doesn’t protest, go out together. »

« Isn't that a rape? »

 

Patrice stops for a minute.

 

« Then don’t do it. You dredge him as obviously as before and then you go out together. »

 

Paul smiles like the stupid ass in love that he is, and lets himself fall against the mattress, his head alongside Pat's legs.

 

« Lo amo. Sono innamorato di Antoine. »

 

The good thing with Paul is that he cannot keep his thoughts or feelings for himself, you can almost guess his emotions as soon as it goes through his veins. It's just a matter of time before Antoine knows about it. Seriously, how could have they been this oblivious?

 

"What… what are you talking about?"

 

Both of the men sit up in the bed, hearing Antoine's thin, cute little voice, who is at the entrance of the room. Shit. They are so used to let the doors open, that they have forgotten to close it. Even if they have spoken in Italian most the conversation, they forgot as well to speak quietly and discreetly...

 

A lot of mistakes in one night.

 

« Te amo, Grizou. Sono innamorato di ti, Antoine. »

 

Here, that’s at this level that Paul’s subtlety and open-mindedness lie.

 

Antoine blushes from where he is and he struggles not to respond to the bright and proud smile that the midfielder must throw at him.

 

"Yes I know”, he answers unsure.

"What do you mean, _you know_?"

"Even your mom knows. I say yes to everything you propose, you thought it was pure sympathy? I would have ditch you otherwise. Lo sabes ¿no? Te quiero también."

 

Paul moans in contentment and grabbed Grizou in his arms. Antoine shakes his head, surprised by his reaction but doesn't refuse the tight hug.

 

"Okay, are you done? Can I get some sleep?"

"Yeah sorry,” Antoine apologizes but doesn't mean it.

 

Paul doesn't care at all, since he takes his soon-to-be boyfriend's hand to drag him behind him. Patrice can't help but throws a sneaky comment:  

 

"And don't be too loud, we have practice tomorrow!"


End file.
